RAS question
What is a 'Nadi' in Rajasthan's water harvesting system?
Correct answer: (D) A village pond/rainwater storage.
In Rajasthan's traditional water-harvesting system, a Nadi is a village pond or rainwater-storage structure used to collect runoff.
Explanation
A Nadi is best understood as a traditional village pond for rainwater harvesting, not as a canal, well, or dam. In the Thar Desert context, stored rainwater supports drinking water needs and livestock. Rajasthan Agricultural Competitiveness Project, Cluster Agricultural Competitiveness Plan - Mokhampura, Jaipur uses Nadi in the same water-harvesting sense: it groups Tank, Talab, Nadi, Anicut, WHS, local depressions, and ponds under existing water-harvesting storage, and it separately describes Nadi/Talai as dugout ponds constructed near the point of use to harvest runoff where maximum water can be stored. That is why the option describing a village pond or rainwater storage is the substantive match.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) A canal corresponds to nahar, while a Nadi is a pond-like water-harvesting storage structure rather than a channel for conveying water.
- (B) A well corresponds to kuan, whereas a Nadi stores harvested rainwater/runoff as a village pond or dugout pond.
- (C) A dam corresponds to bandh, and Nadi/Talai dugout ponds are distinct from structures such as anicuts or other water-harvesting works.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's traditional water-conservation terminology, especially how local structures are matched with their function. It recurs in RAS because water harvesting, arid-region adaptation, and rural resource management are core Rajasthan geography themes.